It’s been a long time coming, but Leeds Civic Trust have finally finished restoration works on Headingley’s famed bear pit.
Walk down Cardigan Road, and you’ll inevitably hear, ‘Did you know there used to be a bear pit here?’ Although it’s sat virtually untouched for a number of decades now, and for the last few months hidden by a fence, that’s all set to change soon as Leeds Civic Trust’s restoration work comes to an end, transforming the pit into a public space for the city.
© Copyright Leeds-List 2024
“The Victorians decided to establish a botanical gardens in Headingley”, Leeds Civic Trust director Martin Hamilton told us. “The idea was that this would be a large area of green space that would have fountains, ponds, trees and flowers. The centrepiece, I suppose, was an attraction to house a live bear – and that’s where the bear pit came from”.
The gardens first opened in 1840, but various factors led to its closure just 18 years later. Charging for entry and not being open on Sundays meant that people either couldn’t afford to come or were too busy working during the week, and so not enough money was generated to keep it going. The land was eventually sold off and transformed into Cardigan Road as we know it today.
© Copyright Leeds-List 2024
Fast forward to 1965, and Leeds Civic Trust was established – just a year later, they decided to buy the bear pit. Work was completed to rebuild some of the listed building’s structure, and over the years a bit of maintenance has been done here and there, but the opportunity to conduct a proper restoration job just wasn’t on the cards until this year. So, what can we expect?
The key thing for the Trust was accessibility. They’ve built a level path for wheelchair users, with railings installed around the bear pit so visitors don’t have to worry about the drop. They’ve added structure to the brickwork and the stonework has been reinstated – elsewhere, picnic benches have been put up and grass seeds sown, providing a welcome green space for the area.
The much-talked about bear statue, though, is something Leeds Civic Trust is still weighing up. They’ve considered holograms and wooden sculptures, but at this moment in time, there’s nothing planned. They’ll see how things go over the next few months, and if they change their minds, they’ll aim to do it in a way that doesn’t glorify the bear’s captivity – watch this space.
This is obviously massive news for the local area, and no one put it better than Martin himself. “Part of it was an opportunity to give back some green space to the community in a form that is usable, but also, I think it’s important to remember what Leeds was like in the past, but to also think about the future”. We couldn’t agree more, and we can’t wait to go down and visit!
Headingley Bear Pit, 53 Cardigan Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 1DW. Opening date to be confirmed soon.
Cover image © Copyright Leeds-List 2024
